Subscription pricing pages are designed to make one option look like the obvious choice. Annual plans are often shown as a monthly figure, with the full charge in smaller text. Monthly plans look flexible but cost more over a year. Add trials, introductory discounts, regional pricing and family plans, and it gets hard to see what you'll actually pay.
This guide walks through a simple, repeatable way to compare. It uses made-up example numbers, not real prices. For brands' published prices, see our fitness and yoga apps comparison and mind apps comparison, which show the figures each brand lists with the date we checked.
Step 1: Put everything on a yearly basis
To compare fairly, convert every option to a 12-month cost.
- Monthly plan: monthly price × 12.
- Annual plan: the full annual charge (not the "per month" figure).
- Multi-year plan: total price ÷ number of years.
Example (illustrative numbers)
Imagine an app that offers:
- Monthly: $15 per month → $15 × 12 = $180 per year
- Annual: "$8.25/month, billed annually" → $8.25 × 12 = $99 per year, charged up front
The annual plan saves $81 over a year, but only if you use it for the whole year.
Step 2: Read the "per month" figure carefully
Many annual plans display a per-month equivalent. Look for the words "billed annually" or "billed yearly" and find the actual charge. Our comparison shows both where brands publish them, for example a yearly price with the per-month equivalent the brand displays.
Step 3: Find your break-even point
The annual plan only saves money if you'd otherwise keep paying monthly for long enough. Divide the annual price by the monthly price.
- Using the example: $99 ÷ $15 = 6.6 months.
If you'd use the app for seven months or more, the annual plan costs less. If you might stop after three months, monthly would have been cheaper, even though it looks more expensive. Be honest with yourself about how likely you are to stick with it.
Step 4: Account for trials and introductory offers
- Free trials delay the first charge but usually convert to a paid plan automatically. See free trials and auto-renewals.
- Introductory discounts may apply only to the first term. Check the renewal price; that's what you'll pay in year two.
- Promotional pricing can change. Note the date you checked.
Step 5: Check regional pricing, taxes and platform
- Regional pricing: some apps price differently by country. Calm, for example, says its Premium pricing varies by country; our comparison shows "See site" where a single price can't be stated.
- Taxes: sales tax or VAT may be added at checkout.
- Platform: prices bought through an app store can occasionally differ from the brand's website. Check both if you have the choice.
Step 7: Check what's already included
Before paying for a new app, check whether you already have access:
- Some fitness memberships include meditation; some yoga apps include Pilates and strength. Our comparison notes what brands say their plans include.
- Some apps are now free with an account; ALO, for example, says its Wellness Club app is free with an email sign-up. Read what the free account involves, such as loyalty program enrollment or marketing emails.
- Employers, insurers or bundles sometimes include wellness apps.
Step 8: Factor in flexibility
Cost isn't the only factor. Monthly plans let you stop or switch without losing money on an unused year. Annual plans may have limited refunds, especially through app stores. If flexibility matters, it may be worth paying a bit more.
A simple comparison table you can make
For each app you're considering, write down:
- Monthly price × 12: e.g. $180
- Annual plan charge: e.g. $99
- Break-even (months): e.g. 6.6
- Trial length: e.g. 7 days
- Renewal price after any intro offer: e.g. $99
- Family plan annual price: if relevant
- What's included: e.g. classes, meditation, offline downloads
(Example values are illustrative, not real prices.)
Worked example: two people, two apps
Here's how the steps come together, again with made-up numbers. Two housemates each want a yoga app, and one also wants meditation.
- Option A: two individual yoga subscriptions on annual plans at $99 each, plus one meditation app at $70 a year. Total: $268.
- Option B: one yoga app whose membership (according to the brand) includes meditation, on a family plan at $150 a year covering both people. Total: $150.
- Option C: monthly plans for two months to test, at $15 each per month for both people: $60, then decide.
Option B looks cheapest, but only if both people like that app's classes and its meditation content. Option C costs more per month but protects against committing to a year of something nobody uses. The point isn't which is "right"; it's that writing the numbers down makes the trade-off visible.
Price changes and renewals
Subscription prices change over time. Brands usually notify existing subscribers before a price increase takes effect at renewal. When you get such a notice, rerun the comparison: the plan that made sense last year may not this year. Set a reminder a week before each annual renewal so you have time to decide.
Reviewing your subscriptions regularly
Subscription math isn't a one-time exercise. Usage changes, prices change and new options appear. A simple review once or twice a year helps:
- List every fitness and mind subscription you pay for, including ones billed through app stores.
- Note the renewal date and the current price on each service's official page or your account.
- Estimate how often you've used each one recently.
- Recalculate the cost per use with the steps above.
- Decide whether to keep, downgrade, switch billing period or cancel. See free trials and subscription renewals for canceling cleanly.
Quick checklist
- Convert every plan to a yearly cost.
- Find the real annual charge behind "per month" figures.
- Work out your break-even month.
- Check the renewal price, not just the first-term price.
- Check regional pricing, taxes and platform.
- Compare family plans against individual plans.
- Check what you already have access to.
Common questions
Is the annual plan always better value?
Only if you use the app past the break-even point. If you're unsure, start monthly.
Why does the app store show a different price?
Pricing can vary by platform and region. Check the brand's site and your app store before subscribing.
What if I forget to cancel?
Contact the billing provider promptly; refund policies vary. See free trials and auto-renewals.
About this guide
Our guides explain how to read plans, specs and terms so you can make your own choice. We don’t make health, fitness or outcome claims, we haven’t hands-on tested products, and we don’t publish invented statistics or ratings. Product facts come from official brand pages. How we work.
Product images are illustrative stock photos, not the exact products listed. Photo credits